


Memories Change

by SlySilver



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Non-Canon Relationship, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-06
Updated: 2014-11-06
Packaged: 2018-02-24 07:09:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2572664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlySilver/pseuds/SlySilver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Astoria leaves Draco thinks back through his life, realizing what choices he could have made, and how badly he really screwed up his life. He gets a chance to see a changed past, and how he might fix the future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Memories Change

Memories Change

 

            Astoria walked out the door, a sullen glance over her shoulder as she left.

            “Did you ever love me? Or was that all a lie too?” She asked, her pale blond hair covering her long face.

            “Do you want the answer to that Astoria?” Draco replied with a sigh.

            “No. No I don’t.” With that, the door shut, and Draco looked around the dark room. His son, Scorpius, was asleep upstairs. He sat, staring into the black, thinking. He thought of his childhood, his parents, and then came Hogwarts… Hogwarts. His first year…

 

            Draco was excited. He hid it well from his parents, but the year he turned eleven he sat holding his breath as he ate his breakfast, waiting for the owl to come in. Day after day, he awaited his Hogwarts letter. Then, it came. It was a warm summer morning, and he had gotten out of bed, dressed and sat at the table across from his mom. She set a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him, a tall glass of pumpkin juice on the side. He had eaten at his usual pace, waiting for the black owl to fly through the window to deliver the day’s news. It flew in, carrying several letters in its beak. He released them to Lucius, who gave a small smirk as he found one in particular.

            “This one is for you, Draco,” he said coolly. Draco took it slowly, and hid his excitement as he saw the Hogwarts seal. He carefully tore into the envelope, and read. He smiled behind the letter, knowing his father couldn’t see. Narcissa’s face slowly became a glowing grin.

            “Draco dear, I think it’s time we took you to Diagon Alley for your school things.” He slowly rose from the table, holding his composure.

            “Should I go get ready mum?” He asked.

            “Please do dear. Wash up and put on your nice robes.” Without another word he left the table, only jumping with excitement as he was out of his father’s earshot. Draco washed up, and got into his nice robes. He walked carefully back into the dining room, where his mother had her cloak over her shoulders, and they were ready to go.

            “Come along now Draco dear,” Narcissa said. He walked toward the fireplace, and stepped to the right of it.

            “All right, you go first, to Diagon Alley dear,” she said. Draco stepped toward the fireplace, grabbing a handful of floo powder. “Diagon Alley!” He said clearly. His eyes closed shut as he teleported away, landing in the Flourish and Blott’s fireplace. Narcissa and Lucius came shortly behind him.

            “Come along now, Draco, I’ll take you to get your books. Narcissa, you should go look at wands for our boy,” Lucius said.

            “My thoughts exactly, I’ll see you shortly Draco darling,” she said. Draco followed his father into the bookshop.

            “Your list son?” Draco handed his father the letter, and he went to the desk where the shopkeeper stood.

            “Lucius?” he turned.

            “Well, if it isn’t Avernius Burke. Your son?”

            “Indeed. This is Dante, he’s a second year,” Avernius said.

            “Draco, come here,” Lucius commanded. Draco went to his father, seeing Avernius and his son. Dante was a little taller than him, with jet black hair and bright silver eyes. He was broad shouldered and stood proudly.

            “This is Draco, he’s a first year.”

            “Ah. I thought your son might be starting… can I speak to you alone for a minute Lucius?”

            “Certainly.” Lucius and Avernius walked away, leaving Draco standing in front of the taller and probably much stronger boy.

            “So, you’re a Malfoy?”

            “Yeah,” Draco replied.

            “Pureblood?”

            “Of course.”

            “You’ll be a Slytherin,” Dante chuckled.

            “Are you?”  
            “I am.”

            “Draco. Why don’t you run along next door and get your robes?” Lucius said. Draco nodded.

            “See you at school Draco.” Dante waved goodbye.

            He went into the robe shop and asked the woman to get him fitted for new robes. After a few minutes of her adjusting them, another boy came in. A very thin boy with dark hair and green eyes outlined with large glasses.

            “Hello. Hogwarts too?”

            “Yes,” the boy replied.

            “My father is buying my books. Mum’s looking at wands. Then I simply must look at brooms, first years aren’t allowed to have them, but I’m going to talk father into smuggling me one in anyway. Have you got your own broom?”

            “No,” he replied. Draco thought the boy was far too quiet, but continued talking.

            “Play Quidditch at all?”

            “No.”

            “Well I do. Father says it’ll be a crime if I don’t get picked to play for my house. I’ll be a

Slytherin of course. All of my family has been. Can’t imagine being a Hufflepuff. I think I’d leave right then. Wouldn’t you?” The boy gave a non-committal answer.

            “ _Certainly not a Ravenclaw_ ,” Draco thought. He looked to the window to see a giant of a man standing outside.

            “Merlin! Look at that man!” The boy looked outside with a large smile.

            “That’s Hagrid. He works at Hogwarts.”

            “Oh yes, a servant of sorts.”

            “He’s a gamekeeper,” The boy replied.

            “Yes. A savage of a man. Lives in a hut and can’t hardly do magic.”

            “I think he’s brilliant.” Draco scowled.

            “Do you? Why is he with you? Where are your parents?” The boy seemed to get a little more annoyed at this point.

            “My parents are dead.” He felt a little bad at that one now.

            “Oh sorry… But they were… our sort right?”

            “They were a witch and a wizard, yes.”

            “I don’t think we should let the other sort in, do you?” Draco asked. He was hoping to find a friend. As he got no reply he continued.

            “They aren’t the same as us. I think it should be kept in wizarding families. What’s your surname anyway?”

            “That’s it you’re all done dear,” the woman doing his robes said. He leapt from the stool and began to leave without answering Draco.

            “Well see you at Hogwarts I suppose….”

* * *

 

            Draco poured another cup of tea as he thought about his past. The first time he’d met Harry he was a complete git. Draco liked to think he’d changed a lot from that eleven year old boy in Diagon Alley, being prejudiced, and a total prat. He deserved what happened at his next meeting with Harry. Meeting him on the train, with Ron and Hermione having been kind to him and learning who he was, while Draco had only cared that he was Harry Potter.

            Scorpius yawned as he walked down the stairs. Draco hadn’t realized he’d stayed up all night. His son was 10 years old.

            “Morning dad,” he said as he sat down at the table, “where’s mum?”

            “Mom… mom left.”

            “Oh.” He was smart beyond his years. Draco knew that.

            “It’s not your—“  
            “I know dad. I could hear you two fighting.” Draco sighed.

            “I’m sorry Scorpius.”

            “It’s okay dad. You’re… you’re not gonna leave right?” Draco hugged his son.

            “Of course not. I’ll take care of you. I promise. You’re going to Hogwarts this year though,” he replied. Draco had taken a very different approach to raising his son than his father had. All he wanted when he was a child was for his dad to hug him. He wasn’t going to let his son feel that way.

            “Dad… you can stop that now…” Draco laughed as he sat down at the table.

            “Well what can I say? I love you.”

            “You’re embarrassing dad.”

            “You’ll be grateful when you’re older.” The owl came in with the Daily Prophet as Draco made breakfast. He sat down with his son eating and cast the paper aside for later.

            “Dad… can I ask you something?” His son said looking at the front page of the newspaper.

            “Yes son?”

            “Were you and Harry Potter friends in school?” He asked. Draco looked to the front page, realizing there was a picture of Harry Potter on the front, throwing a spell at a escaping dark wizard.

            “Friends?” Draco thought outloud.

            “Yeah. Were you friends?”

            “Well… no. Not really. In my first year I actually made him really hate me,” Draco replied.

            “But you’re friends now?”

            “I wouldn’t say friends. I’d say… we’ve learned to tolerate each other,” he said with a chuckle. This was something of a lie. But he wasn’t going to tell his ten year old son that.

            “Why aren’t you and Harry Potter friends?”

            “We’re very different people Scorpius. Now run along and get dressed. Your grandmother will be here to give you your lessons soon,” Draco said. His son went upstairs as Draco slipped back into his memory.

            “I stole Neville’s remembrall,” he mused outloud with a laugh.

_“Give it here Malfoy!” Harry said defiantly._

_“Come and get it, Potter!” He flew off into the distance, Harry chasing him the whole way._

_“Give it here or I’ll knock you off your broom!”_

_“Oh yeah? How about you catch it?” Draco threw the remembrall… and Harry caught it._

            Draco was almost pained at the thought that Harry had been put on the Quidditch team because of his stupidity.

            Narcissa came through the door as Draco prepared himself for work that day.

            “Hello mother. Scorpius is upstairs dressing,” Draco called down the hall as he gelled his hair back. He walked down the hallway pulling on his robes.

            “Draco you’re wearing the same thing as you wore yesterday,” his mother noted.

            “Astoria left last night. So I didn’t sleep,” Draco replied as he tucked his wand into his robes.

            “Why?”

            “It’s a long story mother and I must be off to work,” Draco mumbled. Narcissa nodded.

            “I’ll tell you what happened when I get home all right? I love you mother,” he added.

            “I love you too Draco, have a good day at work.” Draco aparated away.

* * *

 

            As he got to work, he was already late. He passed by several coworkers giving a quick nod or a good morning. At his office he sat at his desk, the one across from him already occupied.

            “Running late this morning… Malfoy?”

            “My son was a little slow getting out of bed, Potter.” Harry laughed.

            “Albus is the same way. He’s the same age as your son isn’t he? Almost eleven already? Hard to believe they’re school aged.” Draco smiled.

            “Wouldn’t it be some kind of cruel irony for us if they became best friends?” Harry and Draco laughed.

            “Just you watch, we’ll be here in two months ranting about how your son is a bloody Gryffindor and mine is a damn Slytherin.”

            “Indeed! But enough about our sons, is there anything of interest today?”  
            “Sadly no. We’ve apparently done too well. Every known dark wizard is either accounted for, someone else is on the chase, or we have no information to go on. So paperwork it is today,” Harry replied. Draco nodded and started sorting the piles of paper that were literally magically appearing on his desk. As he filed out what seemed to be endless forms, his mind wandered.

            He recalled his second year at Hogwarts. And playing Qudditch against Harry for the first time. It was not a pleasant memory. He had gotten his ass kicked by Harry. Not to mention that year Crabb and Goyle had that very strange night. But he had been terrible to Harry that year, with the heir of Slytherin mess. Now Draco realized how insane it was that he was encouraging the death of muggleborns. And that his father had been the source of all that madness. He winced at that thought.

            “Draco… is there something on your mind?” Harry asked seeing the flummoxed look on his face.

            “No. Nothing at all, Potter.”

            “You can call me Harry now. I think we’re to first name basis. I heard… I heard Astoria left.” Draco looked up.

            “How?”  
            “She’s been telling people she stormed out on you last night. Going to try to get her son back. It’s also in today’s Prophet.”  
            “Oh that’s just brilliant,” he said with a sigh. Perhaps he should have read the whole thing before he left.

            “Are you scared?”  
            “No I am not scared. I just have to talk to my mother. And a friend.” Draco pulled out a length of parchment and a quill.

 

_Dante Burke,_

_I’m sure by now you have heard about Astoria leaving. I’d like to talk. Please send an owl back with when and where is best for you._

_Draco_

            Draco called his owl to his side and attached the note.

            “Take this to Dante. And make sure he responds. Do not leave until you get a note back.”  
            He continued his work for another few hours, and the owl returned. As it landed, Draco scratched the owl’s head. He took the note attached and read it.

           

_Draco,_

_I had heard. You should check a copy of the Daily Prophet.. Come to Mundungo’s as soon as you’re done at the Ministry. I’ll stick around and we can talk. Everything will be all right._

_Dante_

            The blond sighed at the letter. No one knew him better than Dante.

            “Potter. I need to leave. I trust everything here is under control?”

            “I’d say so. And I know how to reach you if something comes up. Hope you sort this out. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you.” Draco nodded as he gathered his things.

            “There is one thing. Do you have a copy of today’s Prophet?”

            “Yeah, here,” Harry handed him the paper. Draco flipped through and found it. An entire story about him as written by Astoria. It was out.

            “So… you know? And you aren’t going to… say anything?”

            “About what?”  
            “The reason my wife left me.”

            “I’m not that surprised. I never understood why you married her in the first place.” Draco sighed.

            “You married Ginny didn’t you? We all make our sacrifices Harry. I need to go meet with Dante.” Harry caught his arm and looked to his eyes. A look he’d not given Draco in a very long time.  
            “Hey. After you’ve spoken to him, meet me at the Leaky Cauldron?”

            “I have to speak with moth—“

            “I’ll wait. Just meet me there tonight okay? I’d like to talk to you. Privately.”

            “Fine I’ll be there. Good day,” Draco said as he apparated out. He arrived at St. Mundungo’s and went to the front desk.

            “I need to see Healer Dante Burke.”

            “Of course. He’s free right now, go on back Mr. Malfoy.” Draco nodded and walked through the halls to Dante’s office.

            “Draco!” He smiled as he saw his former classmate enter the room. Dante hugged him.

            “Are you okay?”

            “I’m fine Dante. I just need to figure out how I’m going to keep my son…”

            “Astoria is talking big. But she has no way to take Scorpius from you. She left you, has no evidence of you being unfaithful, and you are the one who has cared for him. Honestly I don’t think she wants him. Just saying shit to hurt you. Now, I have some patients to attend to… but if you want you can wait here for a bit till I’m done for the day and we can talk more.” Draco nodded as he left the room. He started thinking again.

            In third year, Draco begun to realize something was different about him than most of his friends. Most.

            “Dante, could I… have a word?” he asked as he walked into the Slytherin common room.

            “Of course. We’re friends you know, Draco.” The two men walked outside, in silence for quite a time.

            “Dante… you… you’re not like the other boys are you?”

            “I’m just like you Draco. Pureblood. Slytherin.”

            “No…you… you… you know… your boyfriend…”

            “Ahhh so this is about Blaise. What you jealous?” Dante poked.

            “I am not jealous!”

            “Sure you aren’t. Then what’s actually on your mind?” He replied.

            “I… I think I’m like you.”

            “Ohhhh. Well why do you think that?”

            “I just have no interest in girls… and I find some particular boys attractive,” Draco explained.

            “Which ones?”

            “That’s not your business.”

            “Ooooo I think I know who it is at that rate.” Dante laughed, “it’s Harry Potter isn’t it?” Draco’s heart dropped to his stomach.

            “No of course not!” Dante laughed even harder.

            “I know it isn’t. You two hate each other. I’m just messing with you. I’ll break up with Blaise.”

            “Wait no—don’t do that—Dante…” the older boy had already ran off. Draco wandered out to the lake alone, and sat down by the shore. He could see Harry, Ron and Hermione off in the distance doing whatever it was they did. After a while Dante returned.

            “So you wanna do this?”

            “Do what?” Draco asked. Dante pressed his forehead against the blond’s.

            “Show you what it’s like to be with a man.” It was Draco’s first kiss. He had always remembered it as being very soft and sweet kiss. But Dante had always been a sap. Draco leaned back as he thought about more of what happened that year. Being attacked… no, provoking Buckbeak the Hippogriff to attack him. Dante had no sympathy for him. He also recalled Hermione punching him.

            “You idiot. You should know better than to piss that girl off by now. She’s a loose cannon,” Dante said as Draco went into the boys’ dormitory, a bruise on his face.

            “She would have cursed me!”

            “Can you blame her? You called her a Mudblood! AGAIN! Would you say that to my friends too?” Dante asked.

            “Of course not you’re not friends with any—“

            “Yes I am! I’m just too embarrassed to introduce you to them because you do this to poor Hermione! I know you and Harry Potter don’t exactly get along, but have you thought you’re overreacting?”

            “No! They’re filthy mudbloods and they shouldn’t even—“

            “You are so bigoted you can’t even see what you’re doing! Why the hell am I with someone like this?!” Dante had stormed out. It was the first time Draco had been called out on his actions. And he swore to himself he’d never call Hermione and mudblood again. He had only broken that promise twice. But he and Dante didn’t speak at all for the rest of that schoolyear or the following summer. Draco had sent a many owls trying to talk to him but had received no reply.

            The next time Dante spoke with Draco was at the Quidditch World Cup. Their fathers had decided to go together. Neither boy knew this until they arrived at the match.

            “Dante!”  
            “Draco?” The two boys stared at each other while their fathers talked a lot of crap.

            “I… I’m sorry for what I said. You were right. Can you forgive me?”

            “As much as I hate to admit it, I missed you. You’re forgiven Draco. Can we find a corner to snog in before the match starts?”

            “Wouldn’t expect anything less.”

            Draco remembers many unpleasant things about his fourth year at Hogwarts. One of the reasons was that Dante was dating him on the surface but in secret he was snogging Cedric in the prefect’s bathroom. Another one was that he had been transfigured into a ferret by Professor Moody as punishment for mocking Ron Weasley.

            Dante returned to the room and started looking through a stack on his desk.

            “Bored Draco?”

            “Just… thinking. Fourth year was the worst.”           

            “The worst for me or for you? Cause the man I was in love with died so I’d say it was probably worse for me.”

            “I was turned into a ferret!” Dante burst out laughing.

            “I forgot about that! Oh that was bloody brilliant! Shame Moody had to leave. And I know you were all butthurt about the whole thing with Cedric. I still took you to the Yule Ball though, isn’t that something to be happy about?”

            “About the only thing.”

            “Wait a minute, didn’t you snog Viktor Krum?” Dante asked as he collected a stack of papers.

            “Well yes but it was only once…”

            “You are so hard to please.”

            Draco’s thoughts went to the Yule Ball. The dance itself was quite wonderful. Being with Dante that year hadn’t been a terrible memory. But there was a far better memory that night.

            Dante had gone to meet up with Cedric after Cho had gone to bed. The dance had cleared out and he was taking a walk around the castle. He found Harry who was trying to avoid going back to the dormitory and was attempting to be alone. As Draco approached he drew his wand.

            “I’m not going to attack you.”

            “How should I know that?”

            “Because I’ve had a very long night, we both know our dates were shams and you have had a terrible night,” Draco replied. Harry lowered his wand.

            “I’m a terrible date and a terrible friend. And now I’m talking to _you_ about it.”      
            “Well I’m sorry. But my date is a terrible date and I have terrible friends.”

            “Sounds like we have a lot in common,” Harry mumbled.

            “More than you think,” Draco said under his breath collapsing beside his rival.

            “I should have just gotten up the nerve to ask Cedric myself.”

            “Yeah you should have—Wait. Cedric? Not Cho?” Harry gasped realizing what he had said.

            “Don’t tell anyone!”

            “Harry. I am dating a man. Who is dating Cedric. But don’t tell anyone that,” Draco replied.

            “He’s… what?”

            “Nevermind. Maybe I’ve had too many butterbeers or I’m jaded and want to get back at Dante but you wanna snog?”

            “What?”

            “Don’t tell me… oh of course. Harry Potter has never kissed anyone.”

            “Did you come here just to make fun of me? Why would you want to snog me?” Harry asked.

            “As I said. To get back at Dante. I’m not good enough for him so why should he think he’s good enough for me?”

            “But why me?”

            “Because you’re here. So you want to or not?”

            “I um. Well. Yeah. But no one knows about this. We never say anything.”  
            “Of course. After this we go back to hating each other. Agreed?” Draco asked. Harry agreed. It was awkward at first. But after a few minutes, Draco was in love. He loved the texture of Harry’s messy dark hair, the feel of slightly blistered lips against his own, and the taste of butterbeer and treacle tart. Everything about him was intoxicating. And Draco knew that this was the end of pretending. He was in love with Harry Potter. And there was no more hiding it from himself.

* * *

 

 

            Dante returned to see Draco fast asleep on his desk. He laughed and gently shook the blond man.

            “Draco. Wake up. I’m done for the day.”

            “Hmm? Oh.  I didn’t sleep last night.”

            “That would make sense. Come on. Let’s take a walk.” The two men left the hospital and walked down the street.

            “Why did you marry Astoria anyway?” Dante asked.

            “Because you married _Seamus Finnigan_ of all people!”

            “What? I loved him. I still do. He’s wonderful. He saved me when he didn’t have to during the battle at Hogwarts. It was so…. Romantic. Hadn’t noticed him much before that.” Draco rolled his eyes.

            “So here’s the real question. How did Astoria figure out that you’re actually just gay?”

            “She found out I’m in love with Harry Potter.” Dante stopped in his tracks.

            “You’re… you’re what?”

            “I am in love with Harry Potter. And have been for much too long,” Draco replied. Dante took a deep breath.

            “I can’t believe that. How did she?”  
            “Veritiaserum. She thought I was cheating on her because we never had sex. I don’t know that anyone else realized I’m gay not bi.”

            “I knew. But I can’t believe it. Harry Potter. Are you going to tell him how you feel? Since you lost your wife over it already what’s there to lose?”

            “He has a wife and kids too you know. Not like he’d… well I suppose he has before.”

            “Wait. He knows?” Dante was still shocked and finding what Draco was saying even more shocking by the second.

            “No. Not that I love him. We’ve… done things… but that was all a long time ago.”

            “You’ve done _things_ with Harry Potter? What? And when?”

            “I kissed him the night of the Yule Ball.”

            “Impressive,” Dante replied. As they continued to walk in silence Draco recalled what Harry had asked earlier.

            “He also asked me to meet him tonight.”

            “Really? Huh. It’s getting late already. You should go,” Dante said.

            “I have to go home and explain to my mother… don’t tell anyone about the whole Harry thing though,” Draco replied.

            “Of course mate. Won’t say a word. If you need anything, owl me.” Dante apparated away. Draco continued to walk for a bit. He thought through his fifth year at Hogwarts. It was a turning point for him. After spending the year trying to hate Harry instead of loving him, he became the worst possible person imaginable. Helping Umbridge and spending the year making life miserable for everyone. He recalled screaming at Dante for meeting up with Harry Potter and his friends.

            “How _dare_ you betray me?! You’re mine and if I see you—“  
            “Since when am I _yours_? I’ve been dating Fred Weasley for months now! I told you Draco I am **done** with you. You never change! And now, you’re siding with that… that… bitch. How dare _you_? Whatever we were before is gone and has been gone. You know since Cedric died you’ve actually been a worse friend to me than when I was with him. I’m beginning to think I’m not a Slytherin at all. Being associated with people like you is making me sick. Don’t speak to me again.” And they didn’t speak. Dante continued to date Fred. When they left though, Dante stayed. He distanced himself from all the Slytherin students, and was more frequently around Harry Potter and his friends. Draco was hurt when he learned Dante was a part of Dumbledore’s Army. And then on the train ride home, he realized how much he’d screwed up when he was on the receiving end of Dante’s curse. He spent the whole ride home as a slug.

            When he got off the train, he caught Dante, who was walking toward his lover.

            “Hey, I… I want to apologize.” Draco grabbed his arm. Fred stepped forward.

            “It’s okay babe, I’m going to talk to him, just wait for me another minute.” Dante turned to face Draco.

            “I am going to be very clear with you. I meant what I said. We are not friends, we are not lovers, we are nothing. Whatever guilt you’re carrying, carry it. Own it. But don’t expect me to forgive you again.”

            “Dante… I… I screwed up… I didn’t mean to…”

            “Draco. Stop. You’re a Malfoy hold yourself like one,” Dante growled grabbing his chin and pulling it upwards, “we have both chosen our paths. This is it Draco. I will forever care for you. That is a promise. But you and I are not speaking anymore. Go home. Figure out what you want to fight for and do it. Cause this war is just starting. And we all have to pick a side.” Dante walked away. He took Fred’s hand and they walked away.

            Draco had tried to do the right thing. He really had. But with Dante gone, he had no one to turn to anymore. And his family had gotten much harder to deal with.

            As he realized he was still walking, Draco apparated home.

            “Draco dear. You’re very late,” Narcissa gasped hurrying to her son.

            “Sorry mother. I went to speak with Dante and lost track of time. Please, sit down,” he said as he went to his own armchair. Narcissa sat in the chair across from him.

            “I owe you an explanation. Mother, I am gay. I have not ever fancied women and will never. That is why Astoria left. I have about a hundred other things I need to figure out right now. Can you take Scorpius for the night?”

            “Of course. I’ll take care of him tonight and bring him back here for his lessons tomorrow.”

            “Thank you mother, I’ll go tell him,” Draco replied as he came to his feet. He walked down the hall to find his son in his room reading.

            “Scorpius. You’re going to stay with grandmother tonight, I need the night to myself,” Draco said sitting on his son’s bed.

            “Are you going to leave me with grandma and never come back?”

            “Of course not. You’ll just stay with her tonight so I can sort some things out. She’ll bring you back in the morning for your lessons. I’ll stay here all day with you tomorrow.”

            “Promise?” Scorpius looked up at him, his grey eyes sparkling with tears.

            “I promise. I will be here when your grandmother brings you home tomorrow. I’d never leave you Scorpius. You’re my son, and I love you.”

            “I love you too dad,” Scorpius replied hugging his father. Draco embraced his son, and took a deep breath.

            “Go along now, and don’t be too hard on your grandmother.” Scorpius nodded and gathered his things. He left with Narcissa. Draco sat down in his armchair by the fire, not quite ready to face Harry yet. He delved into his memory again, recalling his sixth year.

            His attacking Harry on the train had been one of his dumber thoughts ever very possibly. He still regretted that. Could he go back, Draco believes he would have stopped Harry, and explained to him what was going on, and tried to get help. But he had been too proud for that then. He sometimes wondered if Harry would have helped him. Even more so, he wondered if Harry would have grown to love him.

            Draco went on to remember his failed attempts at killing Dumbledore, knowing the entire time that he couldn’t possibly do it and that he was doing everything for the wrong reasons. All the while Dante was working diligently to finish his last year of school, ignoring most—if not all—Slytherin students entirely. It raged Draco to know that Dante could go on and be fine but he was trapped in secrecy and the fate of becoming a death eater no matter how much he hoped not to be.

            He looked down at his arm, and pushed up his sleeve. The mark was still there. Faded, but a mark forever of his poor choices and how badly his father had ruined his life. Draco wished he’d made so many different choices. But he felt he had done his best to redeem himself since.

            The most vivid memory he had of his sixth year was one where he almost died.  He had found himself in the bathroom which Moaning Myrtle occupied, crying. When Harry walked in, his first instinct was to throw a curse. He dropped his wand, and Harry lowered his.

            “Draco, we don’t have to do this, what’s wrong? Maybe I can help you,” he said, “we’ve put aside our differences before, maybe we—“ He rushed to pick up his wand without thinking, and started to through a cruitiatus curse at Harry. He was quicker.

            “SECTUMSEMPRA!” The curse hit Draco like a brick wall. His chest was ribbons, and he was instantly covered in blood. The horror in Harry’s eyes still haunted Draco in his dreams sometimes. He had rushed to heal himself, but the damage was worse than he had the skill to heal.

            “I didn’t mean to—I don’t want you to…” Tears were forming in Harry’s eyes as he knelt over Draco, holding his hand. But before he could start to figure out something to do, Snape had appeared. Harry leapt to his feet, and Snape carried Draco away. Draco survived. As he lay in the hospital wing alone he cried. He wished more than anything that he had spoken to Harry instead of crying to curse him. As he heard footsteps Draco tried to hide that he had been crying. He couldn’t see who was rushing to his bedside. Even when he turned he could only make out a dark, blurry figure. Tall and broad shouldered. Draco tried to speak.

            “What you’ve been through you cannot speak right now.” The voice gave him away immediately. Dante.

            “D—Da—“  
            “Don’t try to speak. I’m just here because I know you’re alone right now. And I told you I will always care deeply for you. I just can’t believe Harry did this to you.”

            “He didn’t—know—“ Draco coughed out.

            “What do you mean?”

            “No idea—what—curse—“

            “Oh. I understand. Merlin you sound awful. Get some rest now. And yes Draco, we’re speaking again apparently. I just can’t stay away from you no matter how hard I try.” Dante kissed his forehead.

            “Dante—don’t—“

            “I’m going to stay for a while. Please rest though.”

            It wasn’t much later that Draco had recovered. And went on to make the biggest mistake of his life… trying to kill Dumbledore. From there on, there was no turning back.

            Draco looked to the clock. Eight thirty. He was probably running out of time to meet up with Harry. But he still wasn’t quite ready to face him. Draco apparated to Diagon Alley, not yet going to the pub, but deciding to walk for a bit more to clear his head. What should have been his seventh year at Hogwarts was instead resembling something close to hell. Voldemort had taken up residence in Draco’s home, and he had become a death eater. Which had cause Dante to once again sever ties with him, as he was now on the run with the Weasley family. Everything that had occurred that year had made Draco an even worse person by the minute. Until chance set him free. Harry Potter had arrived at his own home, disfigured and unidentifiable to anyone who had not spent a very long time knowing him. Draco refused to identify him directly. That little act of defiance, that one thing… had given him the strength to keep going. And he was no longer useful. Harry had taken his wand.

            As he ended up in front of Flourish and Blott’s, Draco sighed. He recalled the next time he saw Harry, during the battle of Hogwarts. The Room of Requirement. And they had set it on fire. Draco was certain he was going to die. Then, he saw Harry. The man who had nearly killed him, the man he still loved, saved his life. He gripped Harry tightly as they flew out of the room. To this day Draco can’t recall ever having thanked him for that. But Crabbe hadn’t made it out. Draco had to move on. He went through the castle, hearing a cry that crushed his heart. Dante was screaming forbidden curses at the top of his lungs. Even though it was too late, Draco ran to him. Beside Dante, was the corpse of Fred Weasley, his family around him in tears. Draco knew this was not a place for him, as Dante fell to his knees, holding the man he loved to his chest. Dante sobbed as the rest of the family fell in around him, throwing curses to protect the Slytherin boy battling against his closest friends. Draco watched in horror as Dante stood tall, and walked into the fray. He looked straight into Lucius’ Malfoy’s eyes. There was no fear. There was no anger.

            “Crucio.” Lucius fell to the ground writhing in pain. Voldemort _laughed._ Lucius started to form the words of the killing curse, when Seamus Finnigan grabbed Dante and started running back toward the rest of the people defending Hogwarts. Draco took this as his time to leave.

            It was his mother, that announced that Harry was dead. Draco broke down in tears. As Hagrid took the boy in his arms, cries came out from everyone who had loved him. Dante was on his knees, Seamus’ hand on his shoulder. Draco knew this time, he was going to fight. He walked out to stand beside Dante.

“Dr—Draco?”  
“This is the end right? I’m standing on the right side I hope.”

From there, Draco recalls hell breaking loose. As Harry had disappeared, and fighting

broke out. Everyone was throwing curses. Dante handed Draco his own wand, and started using Fred’s as the fighting broke out. Draco used Dante’s wand to protect him and finally fight for what he believed in. And Draco finally believed what Dante had been telling him for so long. Love was more powerful than anything else. His love for Harry and Dante made him strong enough to fight against everything he knew. As he fought, and listened to Harry’s words… he realized he was the reason Harry could overpower Voldemort. With no real significance… he was gone.  

            After the battle had cleared up, Harry approached Draco.

            “Mal—Draco. You fought against your father. Against everything you knew… I have to ask why.”

            “I finally stood up for what I believed in. Not my father. I believed in defending my home, my friends. In the end, I believed in you more than I believed in Voldemort.”

            “It’s because of you, that I was able to win… here, this is yours,” Harry placed Draco’s wand in his hand.

            “I… thank you.”

            “No. Thank you. I couldn’t have finished this without you.”

            Draco looked to the pub. He wasn’t confident he was ready to see Harry, but he knew it was time. He walked toward the pub, the last memory of Harry surfacing.

            “No, he is not a death eater! He fought alongside Dante Burke at the battle for Hogwarts. I refuse to allow him to be put in Azkaban! He is innocent. Manipulated by his father. Let him be free.”

            “Mr. Potter I don’t believe you fully understand—“  
            “I understand quite well that everyone deserves a second chance. Give Draco Malfoy his.”

            Harry had saved him from going to Azkaban. And not only that, but had helped him become an auror, hunting men like his own father and making sure someone like Voldemort could never gain power again. Now he had to decide if he was going to tell that man how he felt, or continue to hide it forever.

 


End file.
